Cocovan’s cause: People can argue about politics, religion, climate change, movies, books and Mac’s versus PC’s. But there’s one thing that’s hard to disagree with: The world could use a little love right now. Enter performance artist and musician Cocovan, a 28-year-old Parisian, recently relocated to New York City. After 10 years of pursuing a pop music career (see YouTube), she decided to venture into performance art, doing a series of one-day-only art installations in the streets of London, Paris, Berlin, here and Los Angeles, as a way “to bring poetry into the urban environment and break routines with a little magic,” as she put it. Unlike the others, “The World Letter “is a continuing project,” she explained. It began in Berlin two months ago, continued in Paris and has landed in New York. The idea, she said, was to create “the longest love letter ever” to the world, from the people who live there. By inviting folks to add their thoughts and wishes to an ever-expanding scroll, she hopes “to unite people, especially in a time when we are often so divided.” For two days last week in Washington Square Park, passersby of all ages stopped to add their missives in a variety of languages to the letter. Cocovan spoke to everyone who approached her about the project. “People love the opportunity to express and reflect their love for the world,” she said, “especially in a time when we are so often reminded that the world is falling apart.” To date, the letter is more than 90 feet long and, by her count, consists of roughly 1,175 love letters from people of 59 different nations. The letter will be complete when at least one person from every country has contributed. Cocovan hopes someday to have the finished project displayed in a museum and, if possible, sent digitally into space, with the help of NASA. Contemplating the meaning of it all, she added, “It’s true that that the world is not in a super shape, but it’s also still home for a lot of love.” For more information, visit www.theworldletter.com . She can also be followed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @iamcocovan .
Bob Krasner
